


A Funny Old World

by Dimity Blue (Arnie)



Series: Life After Mayfair [4]
Category: You Rang M'Lord?
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 06:55:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14744048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Arnie/pseuds/Dimity%20Blue
Summary: Mabel counts her blessings.





	A Funny Old World

It was a funny old world, in Mabel's opinion. She didn't feel she'd managed to catch her breath yet, what with all the goings on. First, she'd lost her job as a charwoman only to be re-employed in the same house as a cook-parlourmaid. Then her old man had left her and run off with a barmaid - after all those years of looking after him. Mabel still missed him though. She'd been used to him and his ways. If she hadn't had Henry the ex-bootboy and her job to rely on... Well, Mabel didn't like to think what it would have come to. It was funny to think of her and Henry being the only servants left. Funnier still to think of young Henry being promoted to butler. Not that it had lasted long.

And then the toffs what employed them had got rich again then poor again - so poor they'd had sell up. Mabel and Henry had been left jobless and homeless.

Of course, Henry would be all right - he was young and strong and smarter than he looked.

Mabel pulled her blankets tighter around her at the memory of that last day. She hadn't even had enough money for the train ticket to Bournemouth. She'd been sure, if she could get to Mr. Stokes, he'd help her out. But Bournemouth was a long way from London. Henry had got some savings but Mabel couldn't have borrowed them, not with no way to pay him back.

"I can't, Henry. I've got no way to pay you back."

"I can't go off and leave you - you've got nowhere to go."

Mabel felt tears in her eyes at that. It being true didn't make it hurt any less.

"What's going on?"

Mabel hurriedly dried her eyes and turned to face Miss Cissy. "It's nothing, Miss Cissy. It's just hard to see the place go."

Miss Cissy looked sad. "Where are you going to go?"

"Mr. Stokes offered me a job, Miss Cissy. In his theatre. But," Henry hesitated then blurted out, "Mabel ain't got nowhere to go. Mr. Stokes would help her out but..."

"It's a long way to Bournemouth," Miss Cissy finished when Henry trailed off.

Mabel had put her hanky in her pocket. "Don't you worry about me, Miss..."

"Take it." When Mabel didn't move, Miss Cissy put the ten shilling note in her hand. "That'll get you to Bournemouth, won't it?"

"Oh, Miss Cissy."

Miss Cissy patted her on the shoulder and left, not even waiting for thanks. She was a funny one, what with her monocle and boys' clothes, but she had a heart of gold.

Mabel dried her eyes. Mr. Stokes had one too, to go with his bedroom eyes and dark Latin looks. He'd told Mabel straightaway that he knew where she could get a job. And now, here she was, working for Ivy and Mr. Twelvetrees.

Mabel gazed into the darkness in her room. It was a small room but the bed was comfortable enough, and it wasn't like Mabel had many things to fill it up with. Working for Ivy and Mr. Twelvetrees was a lot different from working for the toffs though. Ivy always invited Mabel to sit down and eat with them, and Mabel got the same food, which was a bit of an adventure when Ivy did the cooking.

Mr. Twelvetrees was different too. He wasn't as po-faced nor as stuck up as he used to be. Not that Mabel would say a word against him. Even back in the old days, he'd lent her a pound to save her from being evicted. Now, he was downright interesting at times, reading to them from the newspapers to improve their minds. Not that Mabel understood half of what he talked about, and neither did Ivy. Mabel smiled. It was easy to see Ivy was stuck on him. Mabel had a suspicion Mr. Twelvetrees was fond of Ivy too, in his own way.

It was far better for him to be fond of Ivy than that Miss Poppy. She was a right one, in Mabel's opinion. The times she'd been downright rude to the staff and they just had to take it.

The church clock sounded in the distance and Mabel counted the strokes. Midnight! Mabel had to be up at six. She huddled down in her blankets and resolutely closed her eyes. With any luck, there'd be eggs and bacon for breakfast. That'd be nice.

The end.


End file.
